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Exports +16.8% y/y vs +7.35% forecast in Reuters poll

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Exports to China +1.0% y/y (prior month -13.5%)

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Exports to U.S. +78.5% y/y (prior month +70.3%) to record

high

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Sees exports trending upwards in H2 -ministry

TAIPEI, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Taiwan's exports rose more

than expected in August to an all-time monthly high of nearly

$44 billion, as growing demand for chips to supply the

burgeoning Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry overcame

headwinds caused by anaemic demand from China.

Exports rose 16.8% on the year to a record $43.64 billion,

the finance ministry said on Monday, exceeding a rise of 7.35%

forecast in a Reuters poll and July's gain of 3.1%, to mark the

10th consecutive monthly rise.

"August's export value hit a record as business for AI and

high-performance computing continued to be strong, as well as

international brands stocking up on new products," the ministry

said in a statement.

The second half of the year should see a "gradual upward

slope" in growth as exports enter their peak season, the

ministry has said, pointing to the end-of-year holiday shopping

season in Western markets such as the United States and Europe.

Taiwan firms such as TSMC , the world's

largest contract chipmaker, are major suppliers to Apple ( AAPL )

, Nvidia ( NVDA ) and other tech giants.

The ministry predicted exports in September could gain

between 5% and 9% on the year.

In August, exports to the United States soared 78.5% to

$11.89 billion, also a record high, compared with a gain of

70.3% in July.

Shipments to largest trading partner China were up 1.0%

versus the previous month's slide of 13.5%.

Total shipments of electronic components edged up 0.1% in

August from a year earlier to $15.15 billion, with semiconductor

exports down 0.5%.

Imports rose 11.8% to $32.14 billion in August, missing

economists' forecasts for a gain of 15.0%.